In Hot Water Over Climate, Bush Cuts Funding for Geothermal Power

As concern over climate change continues to mount, the Bush administration has announced plans to eliminate federal support for geothermal power. Citing the belief that geothermal is a mature technology, the Department of Energy has decided not to request funds for additional research in 2008. Instead, the administration has decided to increase spending on nuclear power and biofuels. The decision has angered climate activists and scientists who argue that there is enough hot water underground to meet all U.S. electricity needs. According to a Massachusetts Institute of Technology study, new geothermal power projects could provide 100,000 megawatts of electricity by 2050. That would provide enough energy to power approximately 80 million U.S. homes without greenhouse gas emissions. However, the MIT states that an additional $300 to $400 million would be required to recognize this potential and to make geothermal power competitive with other forms of power generation. Despite the fact that the U.S.’s industry is largely undeveloped, the country remains the largest producer of geothermal power in the world. See also ::Is Geothermal Energy the Way of the Future? and ::Las Vegas Does The Geothermal Strip